Heat dissipation device

ABSTRACT

An exemplary heat dissipation device includes a heat pipe and a plurality of fins. Each fin includes a main body and two edges bent from the main body. The edges of a rear fin contact a front adjacent fin. The main body defines a through hole receiving the heat pipe and a flange extends outwardly from a periphery of the through hole. A portion of the flange along a circumferential direction is shorter than the edge. A gap between the portion of the flange of the rear fin and the front adjacent fin receives excess solder forced out between the flanges of the fins and the heat pipe.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates generally to heat dissipation, and in particular to a heat dissipation device with fin structure enhancing heat-dissipation efficiency.

2. Description of Related Art

With the advance of large scale integrated circuit technology, and the widespread use of computers, to meet the increased demands of data processing load and request-response times, higher speed processors have been developed, which generate redundant heat, requiring quick and effective removal. Heat dissipation devices on the central processor normally accomplish this.

A related heat dissipation device includes a fin unit and a heat pipe extending therethrough. The fin unit includes a plurality of parallel, planar, stacked fins. Each fin defines a central hole therein, with an annular flange extending perpendicularly from an outer periphery of the central hole towards a neighboring fin. When the fins are stacked, the flanges of the fins cooperatively form a columnar receiving channel in a central portion of the fin unit. A diameter of the receiving channel exceeds that of the heat pipe. A layer of solder is pre-disposed on an inner surface of the receiving channel. When the heat pipe traverses the receiving channel from one end of the fin unit to the other, the solder is forced out of the receiving channel from the other end of the fin unit by the heat pipe, leaving only a minimal amount of solder, affecting the integrity of connection between the heat pipe and the fin unit.

To attain firm soldering between the heat pipe and the fin unit, another related heat dissipation device including the fin unit and the heat pipe defines an opening on a top portion of each of the stacked fins. The diameter of the receiving channel substantially equals the diameter of the heat pipe. The receiving channel communicates with the opening. When assembled, the heat pipe is firstly received in the receiving channel, and solder is added into the opening. When the solder is heated, the molten solder flows from the opening to the receiving channel. However, the openings decrease the heat dissipation area of the fin unit and reduce the heat exchange capability thereof.

It is thus desirable to provide a heat dissipation device which can overcome the described limitations.

SUMMARY

The disclosure relates to a heat dissipation device. According to an exemplary embodiment, the heat dissipation device includes a heat pipe and a plurality of fins with an airflow channel formed between each two neighboring fins. Each of the fins includes a main body and at least one edge bent from the main body. The edge of a rear fin contacts a front adjacent fin. The main body defines a through hole receiving the heat pipe therein. A flange extends outwardly from a periphery of the through hole. At least one portion of the flange along a circumferential direction thereof is shorter than the edge. A gap is formed between the at least one portion of the flange of the rear fin and the front adjacent fin. The gap is configured for receiving excess solder from between the flanges of the fins and the heat pipe.

Other advantages and novel features of the disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description of embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an assembled, isometric view of a heat dissipation device in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the heat dissipation device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a circled portion IV of FIG. 2, with the solder omitted for clarification.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a circled portion IV of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of a heat dissipation device in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe the various present embodiments in detail.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a heat dissipation device includes a fin unit 20 and a heat pipe 10 extending through the fin unit 20.

The fin unit 20 includes a plurality of parallel stacked fins 22. Each fin 22 has a main body 220 and two edges 222 bent from a top side edge and a bottom side edge of the main body 220, respectively. The main body 220 has a front surface 221 and a rear surface 223. The edges 222 extend perpendicularly from the front surface 221 of the main body 220 of the fin 22 towards the rear surface 223 of an adjacent fin 22. Each of the edges 222 includes an inner portion connecting with the main body 220 and an opposite outer portion. Two locking slots 226 are defined in two opposite ends of the inner portion of each edge 222, respectively. Two fastening hooks 224 corresponding to the locking slots 226 are formed on opposite ends of the outer portion of each edge 222. Each of the fastening hooks 224 is the same size as each of the locking slots 226. The fastening hooks 224 are received in the locking slots to connect the fins 22. Distal extremities of the edges 222 of each fin 22 contact the rear surface 223 of the adjacent fin 22, and the height of these edges 222 equals the distance between the bodies 220 of the two neighboring fins 22. An airflow channel 228 is formed between each two neighboring fins 22.

A through hole 2202 is defined in the main body 220 of each fin 22 for receiving the heat pipe 10. A shape of the through hole 2202 can change according to the heat pipe 10. The through hole 2202 in this embodiment is substantially rectangular with two lateral sides thereof being curved. The through hole 2202 is slightly larger than the heat pipe 10. An inner diameter of each of the through holes 2202 is about 0.1˜0.2 mm (millimeters) larger than an outer diameter of the heat pipe 10. An annular flange 2204 extends outwardly from a periphery of the through hole 2202. The flange 2204 has a uniform height along a circumferential direction thereof, and is shorter than the edges 222.

When the fins 22 of the fin unit 20 are assembled, the fastening hooks 224 of a rear fin 22 are received in the locking slots 226 of a front fin 22, respectively, and the edges 222 of the rear fin 22 contact the rear surface 223 of the front fin 22. The through holes 2202 and the flanges 2204 of the fins 22 are aligned. Referring to FIG. 3, the through holes 2202 cooperatively form a columnar receiving channel 2208 with heat pipe 10 extending therethrough. Flanges 2204 enclose the heat pipe 10 in the receiving channel 2208, and an annular gap 2206 is formed between the flange 2204 of the rear fin 22 and the rear surface 223 of the front fin 22. Each flange 2204 has an inner surface 2205 facing the heat pipe 10. The receiving channel 2208 communicates with the gap 2206 between the two adjacent fins 22.

Referring also to FIG. 4, a layer of solder 30 is spread on the inner surfaces 2205 of the flange 2204. Alternatively, the solder 30 can be spread on the outer surface of the heat pipe 30. The heat pipe 10 traverses the receiving channel 2208 from one end of the fin unit 20 towards the other, and is finally received in the receiving channel 2208. Due to the gap 2206 between the flange 2204 of the rear fin 22 and the rear surface 223 of the front fin 22, excess solder 30 in the receiving channel 2208 is forced out of the receiving channel 2208 by the heat pipe 10 as the heat pipe 10 traverses the receiving channel 2208 and enters the gaps 2206, retaining the excess and enabling a firm connection between the heat pipe 10 and the fin unit 20, such that heat absorbed by heat pipe 10 is quickly transferred to the fins 22, enhancing heat dissipation. Commensurately, no solder 30 is forced out of the receiving channel 2208 from the other end of the fin unit 20 by the heat pipe 10, avoiding the need for cleanup, which simplifies assembly. Moreover, since the receiving channel 2208 communicates with a surrounding environment of the fin unit 20 via the gaps 2206, the rosin of the solder flux contained in the solder 30 can be dissipated into the surrounding environment from the gaps 2206, to promote a crack free joint between the inner surfaces 2205 of the flanges 2204 and the heat pipe 10.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the heat dissipation device, differing from the previous only in that each flange 2204 a has varied height along the circumferential direction thereof, and at least one portion of each flange 2204 a is shorter than the edges 222. In this embodiment, a top portion 2201 a of each flange 2204 a is, at most, the height of the edges 222, and an opposite bottom portion 2202 a of each flange 2204 a is, at least, shorter than the edges 222. After the fins 22 of the fin unit 20 are assembled, the top portion 2201 a of each flange 2204 a contacts the rear surface 223 of the adjacent fin 22, and a gap 2206 a is formed between the bottom portion 2202 a of each flange 2204 a and the rear surface 223 of the adjacent fin 22, receiving redundant solder 30.

It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. A heat dissipation device, comprising: a heat pipe; and a plurality of fins with an airflow channel between each neighboring pair of the fins, with each fin comprising a main body and at least one edge bent from the main body, the at least one edge of a rear fin contacting a front adjacent fin, the main body defining a through hole for receiving the heat pipe therein, a flange extending outwardly from a periphery of the through hole, at least one portion of the flange along a circumferential direction thereof being shorter than the at least one edge, and with a gap between the at least one portion of the flange of the rear fin and the front adjacent fin for receiving excess solder used to solder the heat pipe and the fins together.
 2. The heat dissipation device of claim 1, wherein the flange has a uniform height along the circumferential direction thereof, and is shorter than the at least one edge.
 3. The heat dissipation device of claim 2, wherein the gap is an annular gap between the flange of the rear fin and the front adjacent fin.
 4. The heat dissipation device of claim 1, wherein the flange is varied in height along the circumferential direction thereof, and a top portion of the flange is the same height as the at least one edge, and a bottom portion of the flange is shorter than the at least one edge.
 5. The heat dissipation device of claim 4, wherein the top portion of the flange of the rear fin contacts the front adjacent fin, and the bottom portion of the flange of the rear fin is spaced from the front adjacent fin.
 6. The heat dissipation device of claim 1, wherein the at least one edge comprises an inner portion connecting with the main body and an opposite outer portion, and two locking slots are defined at opposite ends of the inner portion of the at least one edge, with two fastening hooks corresponding to the locking slots at opposite ends of the outer portion of the at least one edge and received in the locking slots of the front fin to connect the fins.
 7. A heat dissipation device, comprising: a heat pipe; a fin unit comprising a plurality of fins with an airflow channel between each neighboring pair of the fins, each fin comprising a main body and at least one edge bent from the main body, the at least one edge of a rear fin contacting a front adjacent fin, the main body defining a through hole receiving the heat pipe therein, a flange extending outwardly from a periphery of the through hole, the flange having an inner surface for enclosing the heat pipe, at least one portion of the flange along a circumferential direction thereof being shorter than the at least one edge, with a gap between the at least one portion of the flange of the rear fin and the front adjacent fin; and a layer of solder on one of the inner surface of the flange and an outer surface of the heat pipe; wherein when the heat pipe traverses the receiving channel from one end of the fin unit towards the other, excess solder is forced out of the inner surface of the flange by the heat pipe and enters gap.
 8. The heat dissipation device of claim 7, wherein the flange has a uniform height along the circumferential direction thereof, and is shorter than the at least one edge.
 9. The heat dissipation device of claim 8, wherein the gap is an annular gap formed between the flange of the rear fin and the front adjacent fin.
 10. The heat dissipation device of claim 7, wherein the flange is varied in height around the circumference direction thereof, and a maximal height of the flange equals the height of the at least one edge. 